Crate



O. F. ARTHUR March 2, 1954 CRATE 5 Sheets- Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 12. 1952 INVENTOR. Oscae F. He BY 0/, 2 I g E his :4 TTQE O. F. ARTHUR March 2, 1954 CRATE Filed Feb. 12, 1952 INVENTOR. 056/72 F." HETH E'. wlfliuzi;

March 2, 1954 O, AR HUR 2,670,984.

CRATE Filed Feb. 12, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. OJCAE F. tqETHUB- March 2, 1954 o. F. ARTHUR 2,670,984

CRATE Filed Feb. 12, 1952 5.'She.ets--Sheet 5' I N V EN TOR. 05 5- E @ETHUE WWW Egg-JO.

Patented Mar. 2, 1954 -;UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CRATE Oscar F. Arthur, Connellsville, Pa.

Application February 12, 1952, Serial No. 271,250

7 Claims. 1

My invention relates to crates that are especially suitable for use in carrying and storing articles such as ordnance shells or projectiles, the crate or carrier being sometimes designated as a pallet adapter.

One object of my invention is to provide a carrier or crate of the type referred to that is especially suitable for holding a group of projectiles or the like in unitary relation while transporting them or storing them, and which can not only be made to suit shells of various lengths, but readily adaptable to shells of various diameters.

Another object of my invention is to provide a carrier top or crate top of such form that it is reversible to adapt it to shells having noses of various degrees of taper, in order that the said noses will be firmly held without projecting above the topmost plane of the holder.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my crate in use; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the base portion of the crate of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view taken on the line III-III of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view taken on the line IVIV of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of the beam-like members of the upper rackof Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a view taken on the line V'I-VI of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the upper rack of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a side view thereof; Fig. 9 is an end view, and Fig. 10 is an enlarged view taken on the line X-X of Fig. 7.

As shown in Fig. 1, the crate or rack is employed for holding shells 12 in assembled relation, for transporting or stacking them as a unit. The base portion of the device is indicated by the numeral I3 and the upper portion thereof by the numeral l4.

Referring first to the structure of the base as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the base comprises rods or heavy wires l5, l6 and l l welded together in relatively crossed relation, certain of the rods [6 having their ends bent upwardly at l8, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, to make them flush with the topmost plane of the wires H and thereby afiord better supporting surface for seating rings l9 that fit within the larger seating rings 20 that are welded to the uppermost surfaces of the wires l6 and H. A band 2| extends around the entire group of seating rings 26 and is welded thereto and to the upwardly-bent ends 18 of the rods I6. Shells having the wider bases will seat within the rings 20 and upon the rings I9, while shells of lesser diameter as shown in Fig. 1 will seat within the rings 19 and upon the mesh members or deck wires l1 and be thereby held against shifting on the deck.

A pair of stifiening bars 22 of convex form in cross section extend lengthwise of the pallet and have their edges welded to the deck wires I]. These stiffeners serve the purpose of prevent:

2 ing bending of the pallet deck under load. whe it is being hoisted.

Referring now to the upper'portion of the carrier as shown in Figs. 5 to 10, this part of the crate structure comprises a mesh sheet 24 (Fig. 7) formed by welding wires 25 and 26 in relatively crossed relation, the ends of these wires being bent perpendicularly to the plane of the mesh, as shown more clearly in Figs. 8 and 9, so as to have telescopic connection with the lower part 28 of the rack. Similarly, the rack portion 28 is of lattice-like structure formed by welding longitudinally-extending rods 29 and transverselyextending rods 30 together in relatively crossed relation. The ends of the rods 29 and 30 are bent upwardly into generally telescopic relationship with the down-turned portions of the rods 25-26. These perpendicularly-bent portions of the upper and lower rack members are held together by hoop-like rods or bars 3| that encircle the complete structure and are welded to the said perpendicularly-bent portions of the rods 25-26 and 29-30.

A pair of beams or girders 33 shown more clearly in detail in Figs. 5 and 6 extend lengthwise of the crate and are contained within the upper framework 24, by being welded to the adjacent wires 26 and 30.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 5, each beam 33 has one portion 34 welded to a mating portion 35, inv partly telescoped relation. Lifting bars 36 and 31 are welded within the beams 33 approximately midway between the ends of the beams, and have lifting links 38 and 39 respectively, carried thereby for connection with a hoist hook 46. The upper rack portion of Figs. 7 to 9 has, on one face thereof, seating rings 42 and on the other face has rings 43 for receiving the tapered ends of shells l2 of various sizes and holding them against lateral displacement.

For the smaller sizes of shells, small rings 42 are desirable, because the tapered noses of the smaller shells would project too far through larger rings such as 43 and would thus project beyond the uppermost plane of the carrier.

The top rack member 14 .is therefore made reversible, to suit shells having noses of diiferent diameters and, of course, one or the other of the links 38 or 39 will be available for connection to a hoisting cable.

When shells or other articles that are to be carried in assembled and unitary relation have been placed upon the base 13, the ca member I4 is applied. Thereupon, metal straps 44 are inserted beneath the wires 11 and channel-like bars 22 of the base and laid across the upper sides of the rods 26, immediately above the beams 33, the ends of each strap being then secured together by a suitable strapping machine.

: beams,..3.a e o somewhat shorter, length,

than the base bars, so that the straps 44 slope somewhat inwardly toward the top of the carrier. This brings the stresses on the upper rack closer to, the. hanger links 38-39 so that there will be less stress on the upper rac'li 5 than if the traps extended up around the endmost edges thereof.

The straps 44 are protected somewhat from damage, since at the bottom they are parallel to and between mesh wires l6 that are. disposed,- 10 below the wires l1. At the top oftl'ie carrier, they rest upon mesh wires 2E annexe-betweenadjacent mesh wires 25.

I claim as my invention;

1. A rack-like device for engaging and retaining in place the upper'endsof articlestliat'are supported upon a base, comprisingaraclhaving twogroups of" ring-like seats for receiving the nosesof tapered articles supportedon the base; the two groups being of different diametersaiid disposed in two vertioally-spaced' planes; two beams mountedwithin'therack, to either side'of" seats adjacent to a horizontal median line throughthe racKJifti-ng'barsnespectivelfij bring- 7 ing the beams at their upper andilowert sides; means for releasably connecting the rack' to'tii'e' base, ancllifting linksconneotemtoth'e Bars; the rack" being reversible for selective: engagement ofits seats with articles of different diameters.

2. A rack lik'e device'for'enga'ging andret'ain mg in place the upper'ends'ofartioles'that are supported upon a base; oompris'iig a: rack" hav; ing' two groups of ring like seats forireceiving the-noses ofg'tapered articles supported on the base; the=two group's-being offdifirent diameters and disposed in*twovertically spaced planes; two beams" mounted withifithefrackl to eitlier'sisipo'i seats adjacent to a horizontalj' median line through the rack, lifting bar iresp'ettlteljibridge ing the beams at their upper an'dflow'er. sides; lifting-links connected to the'bars anamean's for releasably connecting" the. rackto" tliej" base; tlie rack being reversible for selective" engagement of its seats with articles or d'ifierent' diameters, and comprising; two lattice-like" members that" are" connected in perpemlicularly spaeed' relationto'eachother'."

3f Abrack-liliedevice for engagingjan'f retain ingini'placer the upperendsfor articles that aresupported upon a"ba se;' comprising a rackfhaving; two groups of ring=likei seatsfor recei'viii'gf theli noses to tapered articles" supporte'dfion "the bas'e, the-two groups beingtof different diameters? a n't? disposed in two vertically-spaced lanesi, :6 beams mounted withinthe' rack; to" either sidef" seats adjacent to a' horizontal median line through the rack; lifting bai'slrespectiv'elj bridge ingthebeams 'at their upper and lower sides," lifting links conn'ected'to the'barsland means" for releasablyfconnecting 'th'e' rack-to theb ase', the rack being" reversible for selective engagement-of its-seats with 'art'iciesofdifferntklia eters, and comprisingtwo lattice lili meifibeis" th'a-tare connected in" perpendicularly-space dre lation to each other, by edge"portionsthereof bent toward on'e another and" securedtogether.

4. A raok -like-dvice for "engagingand reta n-:- ing in pla'eethe upper ends of-articlesthatare" supported upon a' bas'ej comprising a rack ha ing two' groups -of ring-like seats fonreceiving" the-noses 1 of ""tapered*= articles-supported" on the base; the two'groups b'eing -ofdinerent diameters and ciisposed in tx'v'o 'vertioallt spaced pleinesitwo: beamssmount'ed with n the ra to either side of" ing in place the upper ends of articles that are supported upon a base, comprising a rack having; two'grou-ps of ring-like seats for receiving the noses of tapered articles supported on the base-theme:groups bein of difierent diameters and disposed in two vertically-spaced planes, two beams mounted within" the rack, to either side of: seats adjacent to a horizontal median line through" the rack, a lifting b'arbridging the beams; a; lifting link" connected to" the" bar, the'j raclr' being reversible for selective engagement of its searswith articles of different diameters, a, base having a pair of stifieiiihg bars disposed beneath andparallePto'thebeains; and suspendirig members= connecting the ends of these bars to tlie beams;

6. A rack lilie device for engaging and retain'-" ing iii place the upper ends'bf articles that are supported upon'a base, oomp'risirig'a'rack having two groups ofring like" seats for receiving" the noses of taperedarticles supported on'thebas'e} the two groups being' 'of difierent" diameters and disposed in two" vertically-spaced planes"; two beamsmounted within the rack, to" either" side of seats adjacent to"; al'io'ri zoritai median line through the rack; a liitingbar bridging the beams; a lifting link coi'in'ecteti"to thebarl thera'ok be mg: reversible for selective engagement of its seats with articles or difirnt diameter s a base havin'ga pair ofstiffen'iiig bars disposedbeneath" and'parallel' to'the beams; and straps ofildoped' form extending longitudinallybe'rieatlithe bars and'along the tops of tlfe be'amsl 7. crate-like; carrier comprising a fabricated metalbasehaving stiffening: bars \vei'dedio' an un'clersur'ia'ee thereof;'-to either] side of and adjaoent to its mid line lengthwise 01 the" base," an

upperracl of fabricated rods having ring-like retaining memsers spaced" from" one another horizontally-to receiii'e' the upper'feifdspf articles supported Ol'rthe -base and holti' them against lateral displacement," stiirening 'bars Welded" to the racl alongiine's to eit'h'er sideof mmanent- Wise centr use-or tne raeri a lifting mini-carries by these bars, at said center line, and straps con neetin the lower 'b arsto the" rack, the upper aiid lower stiffening bars all being in approxi' mate parallelisni witlr one another and the lower baiS' ha' fif-lg chh nel li'ke rooves for lediv ihg" the said: straps that} are looped" through" thegroovesi an'd aIOng 'th'etops 0fthe fir st-nanied 0' hold the 'rackminber in-position" to -re- OSCAR-F2 References (lited iii-the file of =this" patent 0 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 7 Name? Date I 13(393323 Clairernont" eb: 22, 1921 12*262271 Huthinsf June 10,1939 1,9915548-"1 Woodbridge; net. 191-1935 2;235fvi9 Matare'se' Man-11s, 19 n 2;4523392 P hilbin'"; on; 26; 19st 2,466,875 Brandt Apr. 2519s.) 2248-??68-7" Arthur et al'x Nov. 81, 19 29 ataogrsv" Arthur" Ndv:-2ij,j19$qf 2546;8'36 McK'im; -N1Zar. "2"?, 15}: 235565844 rsttian-a Ju'r'ie12, 1951" 

